1. Field of the Invention
The invention disclosed in this specification relates to a configuration of a pixel region of an active matrix type liquid crystal display and, more particularly, to a configuration of an auxiliary capacitor connected to a pixel electrode in parallel and a configuration of a black matrix for preventing leakage of light at boundaries between adjacent pixels.
2. Description of Related Art
Liquid crystal displays having an active matrix circuit are known. They have a configuration including a plurality of source bus lines for transmitting image data, a plurality of gate bus lines for transmitting switching signals in an intersecting relationship therewith, and a plurality of pixels provided at those intersections. Normally, transistors (specifically thin film transistors) are used as switching elements.
A pixel includes not only a transistor for switching but also a pixel electrode and has a structure in which the gate electrode, source, and drain of the transistor are connected to a gate bus line, a source bus line, and the pixel electrode, respectively. Distinction between the source and drain of a transistor is not fixed during the operation thereof and varies depending on signals according to a common definition of electrical circuits. In the following description, however, the terms “source” and “drain” simply refer to impurity regions provided in a transistor which are connected to a source bus line and a pixel electrode, respectively.
Each pixel includes one or more transistors. Specifically, two or more transistors connected in series are advantageous in that leak current can be reduced even when the transistors are not selected. The above-described definition is also applied to such a case, and no definition is given to an impurity region connected to neither a source bus line nor a pixel electrode.
A capacitor is formed between a pixel electrode and an electrode which is opposite to the pixel electrode across liquid crystal. A transistor as described above serves as a switching element for supplying and removing electrical charge to and from this capacitor.
In an actual operation, however, the capacity of the pixel electrode portion is too small to store necessary electrical charge for a sufficient period of time by itself. It is therefore necessary to provide a separate auxiliary capacitor.
Such an auxiliary capacitor (also referred to as “storage capacitor”) has been formed between an opaque conductive material such as a metal which is separately provided and a pixel electrode or a semiconductor layer. The gate bus line for the next row has been normally used as the opposite electrode. Although a capacitor formed using a gate bus line has been sufficient when the area of the pixel is large enough, a gate bus line has been unsuccessful in providing a sufficient capacity by itself when the area of the pixel is small. This has required a gate bus line to be expanded to accommodate the area for an electrode of an auxiliary capacitor. Such a structure results in a decrease in the aperture ratio because a pixel includes an area where light is blocked.
It is an object of the invention disclosed in this specification to provide a configuration wherein an auxiliary capacity is increased without reducing the aperture ratio of a pixel. It is another object of the invention to provide a configuration of a black matrix for solving the problem of leakage of light that occurs at boundaries between adjoining pixels.